


This is the Way the World Ends

by KittyWizard



Category: Fear The Walking Dead - Fandom
Genre: Survival, Zombies, doomsday preppers, the ranch - Freeform, the walking dead - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-05
Updated: 2017-10-06
Packaged: 2019-01-09 07:59:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12272226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KittyWizard/pseuds/KittyWizard
Summary: Lost in the desert after an altercation doesn't quite go her way, Iz doesn't want any help. She doesn't trust the two guys staring her down, especially when one has a gun trained on her head, but wounded, lost, and out of supplies, she doesn't have much choice. She figures she'll go with them, rest up, and hit the road again in no time and if they try anything, well she'll cross that bridge if it comes to it.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Don't have too much experience with posting this stuff so bear with me if there are any issues, but thanks for checking it out!
> 
> Work and Chapter Title from T.S. Eliot's The Hollow Men

Chapter 1: Valley of the Dying Stars

   Faltering under the oppressive noonday sun, Iz slumped to the ground beneath a sparse palo verde and, bracing her back against its slender trunk, let her head rest against the smooth bark. She took a large swig of tepid water from her bottle, tipping it up to drain the last of its contents. Letting the crumpled plastic drop into the dust by her hand, she felt exhaustion creeping over her as her eyes began to slide shut of their own volition. A tiny voice started screaming in her head to get up, keep moving. Logically, she knew this wasn’t the safest place to rest, out in the open, unguarded, but her body wouldn’t or couldn’t move. Besides, there was nothing but a flat expanse of sun-caked dirt for miles in any direction, dotted with the occasional stunted tree or dry brittlebush. Or at least that’s what she hoped as she slipped further and further away from consciousness.

   “She’s alive… for now at least.”

   Swimming though the fog of sleep, Iz tried to make sense of what she was hearing, or dreaming? A pair of voices arguing, the words barely discernible to her, shuffling sounds, the crunch of heavy boots on the dry ground. Someone kicked her foot roughly, _nope definitely not dreaming_ she though as she struggled to rouse herself and see who the hell was disturbing her nap. Distantly, she heard the sharp, unmistakable sound of the action clicking on a revolver, that was enough to wake her up pretty damn fast though she kept her eyes squeezed shut as the argument continued.

   “Dude, put it down. I said she was still alive.”

   “Yeah, but for how long? Look at her.”

   “We can take her back to the ranch, get her help.”

   During their little back and forth, she’d been surreptitiously inching out the semi auto she had tucked under her right thigh.

   “For what? We came out here to check establish a perimeter for the patrols, not to bring back strays. Besides she as good as dead anyway.”

   Once she got her hand firmly around the grip and slipped the piece from under her leg, her eyes flew open.

   “Not just yet.” She said matter of factly.

   The two men started and looked at her in surprise. One was crouched on one knee by her left side, elbow braced against his leg as the other hand shielded his eyes from the unforgiving sun and the other loomed over her, gun up and ready, trained at her head. His eyes flicked down to her hand as she tilted the barrel of her own weapon up to level with his chest. Eyes widening in surprise, his shocked expression quickly gave way to an amused smirk as he relaxed his posture, released the hammer, and raised his hands in a show of good faith.

   “Guess not.” He replied.

   Catching wind of what was going down, the other man raised his hands slowly and eased back onto his heels.

   “Hey easy, we’re not gonna hurt you.”

   “Yeah somehow I don’t think Mr. Trigger Happy over there has the same idea.”

   “Don’t worry about him. He’s just an asshole.” He ground out as he turned and glared at the asshole in question.

   “He’s right, I am. Though I think it’s one of my better qualities.”

   She couldn’t help but scoff at the arrogant bastard as his face broke into a full on grin and had the sudden urge to pistol whip that smile right off his face.

   “Seriously, if you put the gun down we can get you help.” The first guy interjected.

   Never taking her eyes of the obviously aggressive one she merely raised her eyebrow in question as she asked “For what?”

   He gestured rather incredulously at her left side which suddenly flared with pain as the adrenaline from the encounter began to abate.

   “Oh yeah, that.” She said, “I forgot.” So that explained the exhaustion and the untimely nap, she thought grimly as her mind flew back to the events of the day. It hadn’t been a good one.

   The second guy barked out a laugh as he holstered his weapon.

   “You know what Nicky, I take it back. I think she might be worth taking with us after all.”


	2. Let us go then you and I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title from Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock- T.S. Eliot

Chapter 2

     Troy watched silently as Nick helped the girl to her feet. She grimaced in pain but she didn’t complain, he had to respect that. Grabbing up a weathered straw cowboy hat, Nick slapped it across his legs a few times to loosen the dust and handed it back to her while she mumbled a pained thanks. She leaned against Nick’s shoulder and he wrapped an arm around her slender waist while Troy stood back a bit and measured her up.

     She seemed pretty average overall, average height, average size, even, if unremarkable features, though she was pretty enough if you could look past the grime baked on to her face. She had blonde hair, maybe? It was so heavily streaked with dirt and whatever else that you couldn’t really tell. She was fair skinned; even with the hat, the exposed skin on her arms and shoulders left bare from her tank top was heavily pinked from the sun. The blood leaking from her side and her gore stained jeans proved she’d seen combat, and recently. Yeah, she just might be useful after all.

     “So, what’s your name sweetheart?” Troy couldn’t help but chuckle at the daggers she threw at him over the nickname.

     “Iz” she answered.

     “Well, right this way Miss Iz. Load her up Nicky!” he called over his shoulder as the popped the tailgate on the truck Nick was shuffling her towards. He stepped back and swept his hand out in a mock show of chivalry as she hoisted herself into the back and Nick shoved her from behind.

     “Just Nick,” the guy at her back muttered, climbing in after her.

     “Try not to get dead before we get back. We’d hate to have to put you down. Ain’t that right buddy?”

     "Shut up Troy," Nick rolled his eyes and gave her a reassuring smile while she turned as well as she could with the throbbing in her side and gave Troy the finger.

     “Ha! I think we’re gonna be good friends sweetheart,” he laughed as he swung up into the cab and cranked the engine to life.

     “You know I think you’re right, he is an asshole,” she grumbled, bracing herself against the  bouncing suspension as they bounded across the uneven terrain.

     “Told you!” Nick called over the rush of air, grinning widely.

     “Hey now, I heard that!” Troy called through the cab’s open sliding rear window. The only answer he got was another finger in his rearview.


End file.
